Jyoti Randhawa led the challenge as only three of the nine Indians, who started the week, survived the cut in the Euro 2,205,000 Ballantine's Championship here today.
As the second round ended in the morning, most of the Indians fell by the wayside and Randhawa, S S P Chowrasia and Shiv Kapur were the only ones to make the last two rounds.
Randhawa added a third round 72, after 72 and 69 in the first two rounds, to reach three-under 213 and was tied 15th, while Chowrasia (71-70-73) was at two-under 214 in tied 25th and Shiv Kapur (71-71-74) was even par 216 and tied 44th.
The Indians missing the cut included Jeev Milkha Singh (73-73), Gaganjeet Bhullar (72-75), C Muniyappa (73-74), Anirban Lahiri (74-75), Himmat Rai (77-73), Digvijay Singh (79-74).
At the top, Sweden's Alexander Noren overcame tough conditions to take the third round lead with a deserving three-under-par 69.
Noren battled the winds that swept through the Blackstone Golf Club all day to post a three-day total of nine-under-par 207 for a one-shot lead over Spain's Pablo Larrazabal (68) and Scotland's Peter Whiteford (69) who were tied for second place after they returned with 68 and 69 respectively.
Louis Oosthuizen (69-71-71) and second round co-leader Wade Ormsby (70-67-74) were tied at eighth.
Randhawa said, "It was really windy today. I knew I had to work hard to keep the play going. Some of the greens very hard and not holding, so one has to be careful."
Talking of his second round he said, "I am lucky to be here, as I played the second round well and came through. For the final round on Sunday, it will down to the weather and how the players work their and adjust in the final round.
